Recipe For Success Foundation

Nonprofit Issues:

Education, Food

Address:

P.O. Box 56405 HoustonTX77256USA

Mission:

The mission of the Recipe for Success Foundation is to combat childhood obesity and encourage long-term health by altering the way children understand, appreciate and eat their food. The earlier in life a person’s weight is brought under control, the better chance that person has of minimizing those health risks. Novel approaches in the prevention and treatment of childhood overweight and obesity are, therefore, urgently required. Children who are overweight at 11 will battle obesity issues for life, so early intervention is mandatory.

Results:

Parents are reporting increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and reduced resistance to trying new healthy foods.

Target demographics:

Children under 11, their families and communities.

Direct beneficiaries per year:

3200 children

Programs:

our signature Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ curriculum. The largest program of its kind, RFS has reached over 20,000 children with an integrated schedule of classes in the garden and kitchen. We have documented: significant improvements in nutrition knowledge, increases in consumption of fruits and vegetables, and a greater willingness to try new fruits and vegetables. In 2010, RFS was asked by the current administration to bring our programs to national scale prompting the development of Affiliate Partnerships which launched in 2012.
Our kid's cookbook, Eat It! Food Adventures was released in 2012 and has since won eleven national publishing awards.
We created the VegOut! Challenge to support efforts of families and individuals to eat healthier with our 30 Ways in 30 Days Challenge - a year-round advocacy promo for eating new vegetables which culminates every March.
More about our programs: recipe4success.org

Photos

3 hours of volunteer time for this nonprofit will...

Assist our culinary teachers to deliver a cooking class, help maintain gardens, participate in gardening classes with the kids, participate in community outreach programs, assist in the office with projects like photo cataloging, website maintenance, fulfilling internet order of our materials, assist in scheduling volunteers and chefs, help with field trips, shop for class supplies, deliver class supplies, help with special events and many many other activities.

3 hours of volunteer time for this nonprofit will...

Assist our culinary teachers to deliver a cooking class, help maintain gardens, participate in gardening classes with the kids, participate in community outreach programs, assist in the office with projects like photo cataloging, website maintenance, fulfilling internet order of our materials, assist in scheduling volunteers and chefs, help with field trips, shop for class supplies, deliver class supplies, help with special events and many many other activities.

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Reviews for Recipe For Success Foundation

We have been involved with RFS for the past three years. My Store Managers have been involved with the children with their projects at school and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. When the children and their parents come into the Store they can identify with the Store Manager and tell their parents about the Managers involvement at school. PRICELESS!!! Thank You RFS for teaching our children.
PMC

I had the pleasure of interning with RFS, and to say it was a wonderful experience would be an understatement! I was able to visit several schools and assist with the gardening, nutrition, and cooking classes. One of the highlights was seeing the kids faces after they tried a new vegetable freshly picked from their garden. They even had fun with the kale. (Apparently it turns your tongue green when you eat it!) Many children said they have encouraged their families to buy the produce at the grocery store after they tried it in an RFS class. This shows how pivotal this program truly is. RFS is not only reaching countless children, but also their families; therefore, it is supporting a healthier community.

I joined RFS a few years back with the interest of donating my time to charity where my chef's expertise will be an added asset for the group. Little did I know that the winner was going to be me and my family. Working with the students at the different schools has brought so much joy to our life, we also have enjoyed working with the teachers and other volunteers, to the extend that they are part of our life today. The concept is brilliant, we touch children's every day of every school year in all participating schools, the teachers and volunteers have this amazing gift to share their time with students while teaching healthy eating habits and living it themselves, as most of them are true lovers of real food. I thank my Texas lucky stars every day for my friends at RFS!!!

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1 previous review

Rating:
5 stars
September 27, 201109/27/2011

As a Chef volunteer, RFS has been the vehicle to stay connected with children and families that need support and education regarding Healthy life changes.

Recipe for Success is such an awesome thing to have in and around Houston, and I just found out that they've gone national?! My nieces and nephews are a part of HISD, and they have told me so much about this organization and all the good that they bring to these children. I'm so happy that we can embrace a healthier lifestyle together as a family.

Recipe for Success helps children learn, in a hands on way, about plants, gardening, nutrition, and geography. Volunteering has allowed me to see first hand the positive impact this has with elementary kids. I get to volunteer with Emily Paul. Her enthusiasm and caring way, motivates children to want to learn, try new experiences, and ask questions. It is a terrific program that is worthwhile for a lifetime!

The most compelling experience is to see the light go on in a child's eye's when she discovers that she really loves the flavor of a new food, or has managed to create a taste combination that excites her, or shares her excitement over newly harvested kale or peas. To see the progress after an academic year: children gobbling up plates of vegetables that they warily avoided just months before; competing with each other for who can make the best dish to win their Iron Chef Challenge; seriously describing the importance of flavor combinations, a dishes' visual appeal and how to waft in the aroma of an herb to visitors; and excitedly sharing their discoveries with parents and grandparents. That's when you know that working with Recipe for Success Foundation, you are really helping to change lives.

Recipe for Success is a dynamic leader among organizations determined to combat childhood obesity. RFS is unique in its approach to educating children and the community alike. They promote healthy eating, but make it fun! Children are engaged in hands on gardening and cooking classes, to grow fruits and veggies then prepare meals from their harvests. The community at large is challenged to fill their plate with veggies during the month of March by participating in the 30 Ways in 30 Days VegOut Challenge. Recipe for Success is without a doubt making a profound difference in the lives of everyone who participates in their programs.

As soon as I started volunteering in Recipe for Success' Seed-to-Plate classrooms, I knew this was a different kind of program. Kids know what things like bok choy, mustard greens and umami are. They gobble up salad and slurp down gazpacho - cold soup of raw vegetables! - and beg for seconds and thirds. In the garden, they raise hands high to be the one to hold the watering can or harvest a batch of sweet potatoes or kale. They nibble on snap peas and broccoli flowers, freshly picked from their school garden. I would have LOVED to have a program like this as a child - I hope Recipe for Success continues to grow across Houston and beyond.

I have been a volunteer with RFS for close to 1 year, after leaving a program that I had worked closely with that was very similar to RFS. I was thrilled to find RFS and become one of many who truly believe in what they are offering to our young students. I have worked with 2 faciliators and both have demonstrated their passion for nutritional eating and gardening. The students are always excited to participate and I'm always amazed at what they see when exploring their gardens. I'm enjoying learning alongside them as well as I'm not a gardener.

I'm looking forward to continuing and furthering my knowledge in both aspects, garden and nutrition.

Since Recipe For Success Foundation was founded I have been an advocate of its mission and how the organization has expanded its reach not only throughout the greater Houston area, and but throughout the state and beyond carrying it's mission to combat childhood obesity and encouraging long-term health. Recipe For Success helps children understand nutrition, appreciate a healthy lifestyle, and eat nutritious food. RSF is succeeding and fulfilling its mission by educating and mobilizing the entire city to provide a healthier lifestyle for children and the surrounding community .